


walking deep valleys (trying to get home)

by queenklu



Category: The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25946530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenklu/pseuds/queenklu
Summary: “Esca! Esca!”Marcus ran as fast as his bad leg would allow and met the horse before she’d fully skidded to a stop. Another heartbeat and Esca leapt into his arms, as big a bear hug as his lithe body would allow. Marcus held him tight enough to make his ribs ache, but they’d been sore for weeks with worrying.
Relationships: Marcus Flavius Aquila/Esca Mac Cunoval
Comments: 11
Kudos: 117





	walking deep valleys (trying to get home)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a tumblr prompt, I thought I'd crossposted here already! Oops!

“Esca! Esca!” 

Marcus ran as fast as his bad leg would allow and met the horse before she’d fully skidded to a stop. Another heartbeat and Esca leapt into his arms, as big a bear hug as his lithe body would allow. Marcus held him tight enough to make his ribs ache, but they’d been sore for weeks with worrying. 

He palmed the back of Esca’s head, holding the dear shape of him as shaggy hair slipped through his fingers. “Where have you been?” he asked when he had breath again, though his throat was tight with feeling. “I heard of sickness in Londinium--”

“Yes, so did I,” Esca told him, pulling back enough to look at him. His face was dearer than even Marcus’s most turned over memories, though scruffier, and tired. “I took the long abandoned roads around, I haven’t seen another soul in weeks--” 

He broke off in a laugh that sounded raw and ragged in the edges, and Marcus caught it in his mouth. 

Even so long parted Esca’s kisses felt familiar with a hurt that spoke of ‘home.’ They breathed life into each other, a ringing loneliness that soon filled the space with sound, and heat. Esca’s lips were searing quick, and too soon broke the kiss to laugh with brighter happiness and say, “I reek of horse.” 

“And I care not,” Marcus countered, burying his kisses in the join of Esca’s neck and shoulder where, yes, the scent was strong but not unpleasant. 

“Well I care,” Esca protested, even as his fingers carded through the hair at Marcus’ nape. “And,” he rumbled low in Marcus’ ear, “I want to kiss you without weeks of pouting when your face is raw and tender afterward.” 

Marcus didn’t pout. He scowled, and he showed Esca his scowl now. 

Esca grinned at him. “I want a bath,” he said, “and I want you to bathe with me.” 

Well. ...Well. “I agree only for pity’s sake,” Marcus said, holding him tight again to show the lie, “A more pitiable beard I’ve yet to see--” 

Esca elbowed him. 

The bath was quick to warm--so much quicker with two sets of hands than Marcus had grown used to in the last two months--with logs moved from the cooking fire to stoke the hearth beneath the bathhouse Esca had insisted they build in their otherwise Northern home. It had been a great boon to Marcus’ leg on cold nights, but never had Marcus been more grateful for it than now, with water rolling over Esca’s form, so long held dear. He, laughing, took the soap from Marcus’ useless, wandering hands and scrubbed himself pink while Marcus relearned the shape of his shoulders, catalogued the too-prominent dips in his ribs. 

“You need to eat,” he murmured against Esca’s shoulderblade, and placed a kiss there to take any sting out of his words. 

“Soon,” Esca agreed. “The roads were leaner than I would have liked, and I was too much in a hurry to return.” 

Marcus tightened his embrace. “I can’t scold you for that.” 

“No more long trips,” Esca sighed, leaning back against his chest, in the hollow of his legs. Marcus felt the exhausted tremors in his limbs and banked the fire in his own low belly. There would be time for love-making at a later time, now that Esca was home. 

Marcus kissed behind his ear, and the hinge of his jaw--not pressuring, only cherishing. Esca cracked a yawn. 

“Save your cheek-scraping for the morning, you’ll fall asleep against the blade if I did it for you now,” Marcus coaxed. 

Esca turned his head in a blurry nuzzle, eyelids heavy as he mumbled, “I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“You won’t.” Marcus kissed him, Esca’s mouth sleepy and delayed. “You've already promised me you’d stay.”


End file.
